spelmax



(No Model.)

P. H. SPELMAN.

EIEE ESCAPE LADDER.

Patented Nov. 'r 1882 Nirnn States PATRICK H. SPELMAN,

Parent @raient OF NEWv YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,031, dated November 7, 1882,

Application filed April '7, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PATRICK H. SPELMAN, of the city, county, and State ot' New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire Escapes and Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to that class of inventions designed for permanent fire-ladders and tire-escapes; and it consists of a ladder the sides and rounds ot` which are made of iron pipe, which can be iilled with water to keep it cool for use in case of tire, and which may be attached by means ot' suitable devices to the Walls of a building between the windows, and by which at all times the roof or the windows of the separate stories may be reached; or, conversely, the ladder may be reached from the windows in case of necessity, and so placed in relation to the walls of a building that the iiremen or other persons can ascend or descend on the inside or between the ladder and the walls of the building, using the said wallsas a rest or support for the shoulders in ascending or descending, and thus relieve them from the great labor and fatigue of traversing a perpendicular ladder with nothing but the hands and feet.

That others skilled in the art may make and use the said invention, I now proceed to describe the saine as set forth in the following' specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front elevation of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts.

A A A A A represent the sides oi" the ladder, and d of a a the rounds. rlhey may be of iron or other metal pipe,'ha\ing for the insertion ofthe rounds a ce o (t the ordinary T-joint fitting used in steam and gas fitting. On the top round, o, is placed a perpendicular checkvalve, F, to admit ot' the escape of the air from the pipes when being filled with water. The lower round, ce, is provided with an iron T, to which is connected the pipe B, which is also connected with the pump B.

B" is an ordinary suction and force pump, the suction-pipe ot' which may bev connected with a reservoir or vessel holding water, which (X0 model.)

may be a permanent ortemporary connection, at the voption of the builder.

C C G are the connecting-rods, which are attached to the ladder at one end and the other end passing through an iron washer on the outside ofthe wall, and, passing through the walls of the building, may be secured to the inside by star anchor plates or other similar devices; or they may be built in the wall and secured by the common anchor. rlhe portion outside ot' the wall should also be made of pipe.

l) D D D are braces connecting the sides ot the ladder with the windows, and answer the purpose of a foot-rail or means of reaching the windows from the ladder, or, conversely, the ladder from the windows.

d d d d are also braces that extend from the ladder to the windows, and may be used as a hand-rail. Both are filled with water in connection with the ladder when in use.

P P P P is a short section of the ladder, workin g upon a hinge, that may be folded on the standing part when the apparatus is not in use, but which may be thrown down so as to enable the persons descending to reach the ground when required. This section may be made of iron rods or wood or any other suitable material, and is not to be lled with water.

rlhe operation of the invention is, viz: The ladder, being permanentlyattached to the walls of the building, between the windows,is placed about two (2) feet from the wall. tire in the building the ladder should be first filled with water, which may be done by means ot' the pump B, and will till both sides,rounds, connections, and braces. It' any part oi' the ladder becomes hot from the flames, the water in the pipes will ascend, and in this way a circulation will be maintained that will keep the ladder cool, so that a imi-son can grasp the sides and rounds ot' the ladder without getting burned. ln ascending` and descending, the travel should be done on the inside between the Walls and the ladder, and the wall of the building used for a rest or support for the shoulders and back. This is found to be necessary, as it is nearly impossible for any one to ascend a perpendicular ladderwithout great muscular exertion and fatigue.

I am aware that a sectional ladder made of roo In case ot y pipe perforated with holes by which water may bemade to flow over them have been used, and that other similar devices have been employed; but my invention differs from these. 5 What I claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, in a lire escape ladder, of the side pipes, A A, and the hollowr braces D D d d, communicating with said side pipes, IO substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a ladder placed vertically, and with the supports for the same, or' a backing or Wall that is parallel with the ladder and in such close proximity to the Same 15 as t0 form a support for the back of the person descending such ladder, substantially as specified, for the purpose set forth.

3. rlhe combination of the side pipes, A A A A, with the transverse pipes or rounds a a a a, the fasteningrods C O (l, the braces D D zo i PATRICK HENRY SPELMAN.

Witnesses:

HENRY R. FooTE, NELs. OLssoN. 

